(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a therapeutic coolant for the local treatment of burn, specifically in its early stages.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
It has been well known that cooling by tap water is effective for the treatment of burn in its early stages. Although it is a convenient method, it is necessary to sterilize the water in advance for the purpose of preventing infection. Tap water itself does not have an intrinsic therapeutic effect for burn. Therefore, a further medical treatment such as application of an ointment to the burned skin is necessary for remedy after cooling the region by tap water.
One of the principal advantages of water such as tap water as a coolant is that appropriate latent heat accompanying the change in state of water such as vaporization can be utilized in cooling. In other materials wherein such latent heat can not be utilized, it is inevitable to cool them to an extremely low temperature sufficient to make them exhibit their cooling effect. However, it is sometimes difficult to cool to such a low temperature, and there is a fear of suffering from frostbite. Conventional oily medicines, for example, applied to the skin have not a sufficient cooling effect, because they have a tendency to become a solid when cooled to such an extremely low temperature. As for local protection medicines for the skin such as glycerine, mel, vaseline and the like, they have not such a tendency to be solidified but become too viscous to be applied smoothly to the skin at an extremely low temperature, and they also have not also a sufficient cooling effect.
For the above reasons, there is a desire for a more efficient and convenient coolant to be used for remedy of burn in its early stages.